The invention refers to a tool holder for a pickling machine in which on a pricking frame at least one row of take-up means is provided which are equal among each another end each of which is provided with a brine supply line, to which take-up means tools can be fixed at choice which are different among each other and are formed by kinds of pickling needles provided with brine channels, each tool having a connection head which can be tightly connected to the take-up means, which connection head fits for all tools into the take up means, the connection heads being provided with connection channels for the brine supply to each pickling needle, which channels can be connected to the brine supply line.
Such tool holders in modern pickling machines have the advantage that the pickling operation can be adapted to different kinds of meat and different sizes of the meat pieces. Some kinds of meat need a comparatively great amount of pickling brine so that strong pickling needles are used having a comparatively wide inner brine channel. Other kinds of meat, however, require a more tender pickling operation so that thinner needles are used which serve for the injection of less amounts of brine per time unit. At choice-connection by screwing of the connection heads of the several kinds of needles enables one to change from one kind of needles to another kind of needles and therefor from one kind of pickling operation to another kind of pickling operation, always with the same machine. Therefore, the machine can be used with only less alterations for a broad field of application. These installations are on the market.
It is also known to screw a plurality of needles to a common cross piece of a pickling machine, which cross piece serves for supplying the brine (FR-A No. 1,395,301).
On the other hand, machines are known in which knives are fixed to a frame member which is moved up and down, which knives stab into the meat. With such knives the meat can be tenderized by making cuts, what, for example, is desired for such kinds of meat which later on shall be used as steak meat, why such machines sometimes are also called "steakers". It is also know (FR-A-No. 1 2,032,012) to fixly provide needles and knives on a common carrier member which can be actuated by hand or automatically. Finally it is know within a hand-actuated apparatus (U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,651), to provide a plurality of knives on a screw cap which is screwed onto the end of a container for a treatment liquid which flows out through openings of the bottom of the screw cap.